ETIAS & EES News: Latest Developments 2026

EES phased rollout continues across Schengen borders

The Entry/Exit System phased deployment, which began at selected border crossings in October 2025, continues to expand across additional land, sea, and air border crossings. The European Commission has confirmed the target of full implementation by April 10, 2026 remains on schedule, though some member states have reported logistical challenges at high-volume land crossings.

Travellers to the Schengen Area should expect longer processing times at border crossings that have recently activated EES, as both border officers and travellers adapt to the biometric registration process. The European Commission has published guidance advising travellers to allow extra time at borders during the transition period.

Ireland and the United Kingdom, which are outside the Schengen Area, are not implementing EES. UK citizens travelling to Schengen countries will encounter EES biometric registration at European border crossings from Q2 2026.

Frontex reports over 150 unauthorised ETIAS websites now identified

Frontex (the European Border and Coast Guard Agency) has updated its public advisory on fraudulent ETIAS websites, reporting that the number of identified unauthorised domains has grown to over 150 as of February 2026. These sites are designed to collect personal data and payment from travellers who mistakenly believe ETIAS applications are already open.

Frontex reiterates: the ETIAS application portal has not yet opened as of Q1 2026. The only official application site will be travel-europe.europa.eu/etias when it opens. Any website currently accepting ETIAS "applications," "registrations," or "pre-registrations" is unofficial and should not be used.

Travellers who have paid unofficial sites are encouraged to contact their bank about chargebacks and to report the sites to their national consumer protection authority.

European Commission confirms ETIAS Q4 2026 launch remains on track

The European Commission issued a statement in January 2026 reconfirming that ETIAS is on track for launch in Q4 2026, contingent on full EES deployment by April 10, 2026. The Commission also confirmed that a transitional period of approximately six months will follow the mandatory launch date, during which travellers arriving without ETIAS may still be admitted at border officers' discretion, to allow all parties time to adapt.

The Commission additionally confirmed that the ETIAS application portal will open "several months" before the mandatory launch date, giving travellers adequate time to apply. Further details on portal features, language support, and payment methods will be published in advance of opening.

UK expands ETA requirement to EU nationals from January 2025 — what this means

As a reminder for European travellers visiting the UK: the UK's own Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) became a requirement for EU citizens visiting Britain from January 8, 2025. This is a separate system from ETIAS and is operated by the UK Home Office.

The dual-system situation creates a confusing environment for travellers: UK citizens visiting Europe will need ETIAS (from Q4 2026), and EU citizens visiting the UK already need a UK ETA. These are entirely separate systems with different operators, different fees, and different validity periods. Do not confuse the two. See our full UK citizens guide →

EES begins phased rollout at selected border crossings

The Entry/Exit System commenced its phased deployment on October 12, 2025 — a significant milestone in the EU's digital border transformation. The initial phase involved a limited number of Schengen land, air, and sea border crossings, with biometric registration beginning for non-EU visitors at those specific points.

The phased approach allows border authorities to identify and resolve implementation issues before full deployment. France, which had previously raised concerns about queue times at the Channel Tunnel, reported that EES processing at Coquelles was slower than projected during the initial weeks, though this was attributed to the learning curve for both officers and travellers.

This EES phased rollout directly paves the way for ETIAS. The two systems share infrastructure and ETIAS cannot become mandatory until EES is fully operational. Full EES deployment across all Schengen border crossings is targeted for April 10, 2026.

European Council formally confirms Q4 2026 ETIAS launch

The European Council formally confirmed on March 5, 2025 that ETIAS would launch in Q4 2026, following EES full deployment. This was the clearest official statement of the 2026 timeline to date, providing travel industry operators and travellers a stable planning horizon for the first time after years of delays.